BECI – This is a heartfelt review from Dinh Van Thong of Vietnam about his school

After 6 months studying English, Thomas is known to many teachers and staffs in BECI. What could be the reason for this?

Is he handsome?

Is he fashionable?

Is he gallant?

Does he have good English skills?

The main reason is that he is an outgoing and patient person. He has a strong determination to improve his English. By his personality, he won and became Mr.Valentine of BECI in a uninanimous decision recently.

Here is the review from Thomas. Let us hear the experiences from this hilarious guy!

Coming to BECI and Getting that Good Feeling

I think I already got that feeling now.

I remember having to leave my family and my home which is a warm and safe place when I have decided to go somewhere I have never been before. I didn’t know why I chose to study a new language. Maybe I want to experience something new, or maybe because destiny brought me here.

After spending more than 3 hours on a plane and 6 hours on the bus, I finally arrived at my temporary home with a tired body and a confused mind.

During my first day in Baguio, I was disconcerted about the vehicles, establishments, and the weather. Everything was completely different from what I have imagined. You will be amazed at the sight of motorbikes that people seldom see and cars are almost everywhere. You will need a ride every time you need to avail some services away from the campus.

One of my friends asked me what is the difference between the Vietnamese and the Filipino culture. It did not take long for me to answer this question. From my point of view, the main difference is the queue culture. Waiting in line is a familiar tradition in the Philippines, and it taught me to be patient and to be fair.

Upon my arrival in BECI, the kind maintenance staff helped me carry my luggage to my room. I immediately fell asleep that evening and woke up the next morning with a lot of questions from my Korean roommate. I just smiled and nodded my head since I didn’t know how to answer his questions. Even though I could not understand him that time, we still became very good friends.

I took the entry test to assess my English skills, and the most memorable thing for me is Teacher Rence’s face when she tested my speaking skill. Why? Because I did not know anything about English. And as expected, my entry test result was bad.

With very few ideas, I was depressed for a couple of weeks. Not only I was shocked, but also the teachers. I had to use English every time: in studying my English books, reading my class schedule, and even reading notices and announcements on the bulletin board. I had to translate everything word by word. What a miserable time! I was always thinking of giving up. I told my father how much I wanted to go back home and that I couldn’t adapt to this place.

I finally decided to drop my group classes. I only joined man to man classes. At that time, I did not know if it was the right decision. Luckily, the teachers made the learning environment very comfortable for me and they were always ready to teach me anything I requested for.

I thought all of my teachers got upset since I was a bit demanding. Until one day a teacher told me not to give up which made me change my mind. I will definitely remember that forever.

I started thinking positive about studying. Besides, I could choose the books which I wanted to study and I find easy to use.

I’d like to thank my manager who advised, encouraged, and taught me many times. After two weeks, I insisted to go back home and she said:

“Don’t give up, you can do anything you want in here. You have a very good environment to study and apply English.”

I felt happy for having a good manager. At that time, I wanted to go back but now I cannot stay anymore.

One of my best memories includes my friends who are also Vietnamese. They helped, encouraged, and motivated me.

We were a family in BECI.

I am a person who easily adapts to any place. This character helped me have many friends from a lot of different countries. I find these people very interesting. It’s also amazing that people of all ages, from 6 to 60, are very determined to study English here. I admire their willpower. I also learned from them and made it easier for me to answer questions this time compared to my first day.

I think English helped people from different countries and races to become one. I never thought I will have friends from Korea, Japan, and China. It is one of the advantages of studying English in BECI.

Time is too fast and never waits. The past 6 months was time well-spent, and a lot has changed. From a very astonished person, I am now very confident. I really proud of myself. Now, I can go shopping, buy tickets, and travel abroad alone.

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WHO WE ARE

Baguio English Schools Association (BESA) is an organization of 13 international schools that provides comprehensive courses on the English language. Located in Baguio City, BESA serves students from Asia, Middle East, Europe, and Latin America.

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WHERE WE ARE

Baguio City is referred to as the Summer Capital of the Philippines. The chartered city is considered as the center of business, commerce, and education in the Cordillera Administrative Region. It is a favorite among tourists because of its cold climate, beautiful sceneries, rich culture, and wonderful people.